“We’ve taken the decision after much deliberation and thinking. The team needed a fresh face, someone who is up to the challenge and can instill in our players the courage to become fearless cricketers. Imran’s name came up and we decided to offer him the coveted post,” he said.

According to Shaharyar, Imran keenly accepted the offer. “He was delighted to have been offered the post,” said the PCB chief. “Imran stated that his political party, as well as his political career had nosedived after PTI’s dharna had ended. Hence, he has agreed to assume the mantle from today, 1st of April 2016.”

Shaharyar Khan also disclosed that Imran had been approached with the offer after Pakistan’s abysmal performance during the recently-held Asia Cup. He had immediately started training for the new job, which included exercising rigorously.

Sources revealed that the PTI chief, a former cricketer himself and Pakistan’s sole cricket World Cup-winning captain, would hand over the reins ofPakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf party to his political ally, Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad.

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